AUGUSTA – Maine’s top health official said Thursday that Central Maine Medical Center must open its doors to outside heart doctors or the hospital ultimately risks losing its certificate of need.

Kevin Concannon, commissioner of the Department of Human Services, said a plan to let only certain doctors perform heart surgeries and angioplasties at the Lewiston hospital limits patient choice.

“The standard ought to be what works best for the patients,” Concannon said.

Concannon said he will have broad oversight authority under a law that Gov. Angus King plans to sign.

The bill, which will take effect 90 days after the close of the legislative session, lets the commissioner review any certificate of need application approved over the past three years.

Two years ago, Concannon approved a certificate of need for CMMC’s new heart center, which is expected to be operational a year from now.

The Legislature passed the bill after the Lewiston hospital recently announced it would not allow cardiologists who work at Maine Medical Center in Portland to treat patients at CMMC.

The bill would allow Concannon to add conditions, impose fines or revoke the heart center’s approval.

Concannon met Thursday with Auburn cardiologist Dr. Robert Weiss, who urged him to revisit approval of CMMC’s heart program.

Last week, administrators at CMMC partially backed down, saying they would allow Weiss and other cardiologists with ties to Portland medical groups to keep working in Lewiston.

But Weiss said the hospital’s new policy does not go far enough.

He said the hospital should place no restrictions on experienced, qualified doctors who want to practice at the new heart center.

The hospital has said it will allow only its own team of doctors to perform angioplasties and heart surgeries.

CMMC officials issued a statement Thursday responding to Weiss.

They suggested that Weiss and his partners are alone in their belief that the hospital’s policy is still too restrictive.

Hospital officials wrote that two other local cardiology practices support CMMC’s revised policy, but they did not name those practices.